PARASITOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF Lactuca sativa CULTIVATED WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Lettuce is commonly consumed in Brazil. It is mainly eaten in natura, and this is the reason why it is a vehicle of parasitic contamination. The objective of this work was to evaluate the parasitic contamination of three different organic fertilizers -filter cake (TF), manipueira (MA), and agricultural byproduct (RA) -, in Lactuca sativa cv. Valentina samples,using the following applications: TF/T1: no fertilizer, TF/T2: 3.6kg/m², and TF/T3: 7.2kg/m²; MA/T1: no fertilizer, MA/T2: 4.32L/m², and MA/T3: 8.64L/m²; and RA/T1: no fertilizer, RA /T2: 3.6 kg / m², and RA/T3: 7.2 kg/m². The leaves and capsules used in the research were washed with a 0.5% neutral detergent solution and these samples were subjected to Hoffman’s and Faust’s methods. The results of the analyses demonstrated that 100% of the samples were contaminated with Ancilostomydaelarvaeregardless of the fertilizer or concentration used. Ancilostomydaelarvae were only found with the following specifications: TF/T1 (83.33%), TF/T2 (66.66%), TF/T3 (50%), MA/T1 (66.66%), MA/T2 (83.33%), MA/T3 (33.33%), RA/T1 (80%), RA/T2 (60%), and RA/T3 (40.00%). Ancilostomydaelarvae associated with Ancilostomydaeeggs were found with TF/T1 (0%), TF/T2 (16.66%), TF/T3 (0%), MA/T1 (16.66%), MA/T2 (0%), MA/T3 (0%), RA/T1 (0%), RA/T2 (0%), and RA/T3 (0%). And Ancilostomydaelarvae associated with Taeniaeggs were found with TF/T1 (16.66%) TF/T2 (16.66%), TF/T3 (50%), MA/T1 (16.66%), MA/T2 (16.66%), MA/T3 (66.66%), RA/T1 (20%), RA/T2 (40%), and RA/T3 (60%). Considering the research results, we reinforce the need for sanitizing and controlling the means of contamination in vegetables grown for sale and consumed in naturato prevent parasitic infection in consumers.